Second Free Practice Report & Results 2025 Spanish F1 Grand Prix

Event: Spanish Grand Prix
Track: Catalunya Circuit

Weather:  dry  30°C
Tarmac: dry  46°C
Humidity: 34%
Wind: 5.4 km/h North West

Oscar Strikes Back: Piastri Leads McLaren 1–2 Charge in Spanish GP FP2

After Lando Norris lit up FP1, it was his Aussie teammate Oscar Piastri who turned up the heat in FP2 under the blistering Spanish sun. McLaren may have brought the party to Catalunya, but the competition isn't planning on letting them dance away with pole that easily…

🔥 Piastri Pounces in Practice Two

Oscar Piastri bounced back from a frustrating Monaco GP with a vengeance, topping the second practice session for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix with a scorching 1m12.760s lap on soft tyres. It wasn’t just quick — it was nearly three tenths quicker than the rest of the pack, sending a clear message: don’t count the Aussie out of the Saturday pole fight.

That lap knocked George Russell off the top, who had earlier impressed with a tidy run of his own. The McLaren looked planted and potent — and with Norris topping FP1 and finishing FP2 with exactly the same time as Verstappen, things are looking spicy in papaya land.

🏎️ Verstappen Lurks, Leclerc Struggles

Speaking of Max, the Red Bull star showed he’s still got the Qualifying magic in him, ending the session just a hair’s breadth (0.024s) behind Russell and matching Norris to the thousandth — but losing out on the timesheet because he set it first. A handy tow from Leclerc gave Verstappen a moment of insight into what might be a crucial factor in Saturday’s fight for grid position.

Leclerc, meanwhile, had a scrappy afternoon. The Ferrari was a handful — oversteer, understeer, you name it — and Charles dropped it into fifth with a messy lap that highlighted the Prancing Horse’s twitchy tendencies on this layout. His teammate Sainz fared little better on home turf.

🧠 Long Runs & Hot Data

As the sun beat down with track temps still hovering around 48°C, the focus in the latter part of the session turned to race simulations. Piastri racked up over 20 laps on the mediums, showing not just one-lap pace, but consistency that’ll have rivals sweating — and not just because of the weather.

Russell and Mercedes looked solid again, Antonelli not far off in what’s becoming a more confident rookie campaign, and Red Bull dialling in the balance as always. This is shaping up to be a real Saturday showdown.

🟠 McLaren’s Wing Wars Resolved

McLaren had experimented in FP1 with different rear wings for Norris and Piastri, but by FP2, the team unified the setup — and it paid off. With both cars looking quick in all sectors, and Piastri especially confident through the twisty final sector, there’s a real chance Woking could lock out the front row if the trend continues.

Norris, still buzzing from his recent win, kept the pressure high, while Piastri looked smooth, sharp, and unbothered. Could we see fireworks between the two McLaren men in Qualifying?

🇪🇸 Home Heroes & Rookie Woes

Fernando Alonso gave home fans a reason to cheer by sticking his Aston Martin into seventh, while teammate Stroll battled issues and spent more time in the garage than on track.

Over at Alpine, Colapinto’s woes continued. A hydraulic leak ruined his FP1, and despite repairs, he was rooted to the bottom again in FP2 — a full 1.5 seconds off the pace and trailing teammate Gasly by nine tenths. The pressure is mounting on the Argentine rookie as expectations rise and patience thins.

Haas also had a mixed bag. Bearman spun early in the session and spent most of it in the garage, only surfacing late to clock a modest P19. Ocon didn’t fare much better in P18, but Monaco points mean the American team can breathe… for now.

🛠️ Technical Tidbits: Front Wings Under Scrutiny

Behind the scenes, the FIA’s new front wing load tests made their debut this weekend. The directive, aimed at stopping teams from exploiting flexi-wing tricks, could yet shift the balance — though early signs suggest most squads have managed the transition cleanly.

Tyre-wise, Pirelli’s choice of the harder C1–C3 compounds is punishing in the heat but might benefit the likes of Mercedes and Aston Martin, who prefer durability over delicacy.

🏁 What to Watch for on Saturday

With FP1 and FP2 locked out by McLaren — and Piastri and Norris just fractions apart — all eyes are on Qualifying. Verstappen looks ready to spoil the papaya parade, Russell’s got the bit between his teeth, and Alonso could still spring a surprise in front of his passionate fans.

Set those alarms, prep your fantasy teams, and get ready for a red-hot Qualifying. If today’s action was anything to go by, we’re in for a banger in Barcelona.

FP2 Times Table 2025 Spanish GP

The quickest sector times during this second practice session were:

• Sector 1: 21.501 sec by Oscar Piastri with the McLaren MCL39.
• Sector 2: 29.198 sec by Oscar Piastri with the McLaren MCL39.
• Sector 3: 22.061 sec by Oscar Piastri with the McLaren MCL39.

Last year the quickest lap time of FP2 was a 1:13,264 min, driven by Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes W15.

✅ Check out our 2025 Spanish F1 Grand Prix Preview.

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